Death toll in Jaisalmer bus fire tragedy rises to 22; probe launched into safety lapse

Jaipur, Oct 16 (PTI) The death toll in the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur highway bus fire tragedy climbed to 22 on Thursday, with two more people succumbing during treatment, officials said.

The Rajasthan Police detained two people, and a probe was launched into possible lapses in bus manufacturing and safety standards.

On Thursday, while two people succumbed to injuries, one died en route to Jodhpur in an ambulance.

DNA tests have confirmed the identities of 18 victims.

One body remains unidentified. Of the 13 injured, the condition of three continues to be critical.

Jaisalmer Superintendent of Police Abhishek Shivhare said bus owner Turab Ali and driver Shaukat Khan were taken into custody for questioning.

The bus body manufacturer, Manish Jain of Jodhpur-based Coach Vasaj, has already been booked, and his workshop sealed by the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Jodhpur.

Shivhare said a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case.

"There were 35 passengers in the bus — 22 died and 13 are under treatment. No one is missing," he said.

In a parallel move, the state government has launched an extensive investigation into bus safety norms.

Additional Transport Commissioner (Administration) O P Bunkar said that an RTO team has seized 66 buses from the Jodhpur-based JAINAM Coach Crafter facility to check them for violating body code standards.

A five-member committee has been constituted under Bunkar's chairmanship to investigate technical and departmental aspects of the incident. The state government has also roped in the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), Pune, for an independent technical audit.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma announced an ex gratia package of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 25 lakh for families that lost three or more members.

The seriously injured will receive Rs 2 lakh each, while those with minor injuries will receive Rs 1 lakh each.

Families of some victims protested outside Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Jodhpur on Thursday, demanding higher compensation and refusing to accept the bodies until their demands were met.

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who met the injured and their families at the hospital, demanded a thorough investigation into possible lapses.

"There are multiple versions about how the accident occurred. The government must conduct a thorough investigation into how the vehicle came, who issued its fitness certificate, so that such incidents are not repeated." On October 14, a private AC sleeper bus travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur had a collision with a trailer and caught fire near Agolai village, leaving 19 people dead on the spot. PTI AG VN VN